At this point, I don't even know if trading Gasol(even assuming he still has the same value he had last season) would be enough.

I keep saying this, but it's not just Pau's defense that's terrible. Watching the game yesterday, the Kings wing players just got into the paint at will. The Lakers' perimeter defense has been terrible too. Everybody has been terrible on D, and I don't know if there's something the Lakers can do about that. Dwight will improve as he gets healthier, but I don't know if that would be enough.

That's why I'm for trading Pau for a SF and moving Metta to PF. It would at least improve the Lakers' quickness at 2 positions.

At this point, I don't even know if trading Gasol(even assuming he still has the same value he had last season) would be enough.

I keep saying this, but it's not just Pau's defense that's terrible. Watching the game yesterday, the Kings wing players just got into the paint at will. The Lakers' perimeter defense has been terrible too. Everybody has been terrible on D, and I don't know if there's something the Lakers can do about that. Dwight will improve as he gets healthier, but I don't know if that would be enough.

That's why I'm for trading Pau for a SF and moving Metta to PF. It would at least improve the Lakers' quickness at 2 positions.

If Gasol rotates properly and helps off Dwight they don't score 50 in the paint.

Like has been stated over and over again Gasol creates mismatches because of his lack of defense and other teams are starting to key in on it.

I keep saying man It isn't his OFFENSE that we're most bothered by, it's his lack of help on defense and his non commitment to helping off screens or shadowing his man or protecting the paint and his overall non effort towards defense as general that's hurting us as a team.

No matter what "system" he's in that's an apparent problem all year and it's costing us in major ways.

So some need to stop looking at "well offensively its"

Offense ain't the biggest issue. His lack of defense and the mismatches he's causing because of his lack of defense is alarming, and as long as he plays defense that way we aren't winning a championship even with a healthy Dwight Howard.

Offense is a big part of the issue. The team is offensively focused, and always has been. 2 of the 5 starters are defensive players (Dwight and Ron).

Phil's teams always won with "good enough" defense (try to hold you under 100), but running an efficient enough offense to average well over 100.

Pau has never been and never will be a defensive stalwart...to suddenly expect that from him is height of hilarity. He is what he is, a highly skilled, "finesse" big man who will block shots, or at least alter them with his length, and rebound on the defensive end. He is not going to stop quicker guys from going around him or stop stronger guys from backing him down.

The Lakers can play defense....but they can't do it consistently when their starters get run like they do...especially on back to backs. There is also a lack of a team defensive game plan right now, and the Lakers continue to put themselves in a bad spot with too many turnovers. Once the offense is settled, I think those killer turnovers go down too, and so points off those turnovers.

Offense is a big part of the issue. The team is offensively focused, and always has been. 2 of the 5 starters are defensive players (Dwight and Ron).

Phil's teams always won with "good enough" defense (try to hold you under 100), but running an efficient enough offense to average well over 100.

Pau has never been and never will be a defensive stalwart...to suddenly expect that from him is height of hilarity. He is what he is, a highly skilled, "finesse" big man who will block shots, or at least alter them with his length, and rebound on the defensive end. He is not going to stop quicker guys from going around him or stop stronger guys from backing him down.

The Lakers can play defense....but they can't do it consistently when their starters get run like they do...especially on back to backs. There is also a lack of a team defensive game plan right now, and the Lakers continue to put themselves in a bad spot with too many turnovers. Once the offense is settled, I think those killer turnovers go down too, and so points off those turnovers.

Understand that Gasol at his worst has played better defense than he has this year.

Gasol has never been a defender true, but he had always been a good contester and was good at closing out on other players when it was needed and he at least knew how to shadow people and use his length to block shots.

This year he's not even doing that. It's gotten to the point whenever I see someone iso against Pau I know they're gonna score on him. It's an easy play.

Offense is a big part of the issue. The team is offensively focused, and always has been. 2 of the 5 starters are defensive players (Dwight and Ron).

Phil's teams always won with "good enough" defense (try to hold you under 100), but running an efficient enough offense to average well over 100.

Pau has never been and never will be a defensive stalwart...to suddenly expect that from him is height of hilarity. He is what he is, a highly skilled, "finesse" big man who will block shots, or at least alter them with his length, and rebound on the defensive end. He is not going to stop quicker guys from going around him or stop stronger guys from backing him down.

The Lakers can play defense....but they can't do it consistently when their starters get run like they do...especially on back to backs. There is also a lack of a team defensive game plan right now, and the Lakers continue to put themselves in a bad spot with too many turnovers. Once the offense is settled, I think those killer turnovers go down too, and so points off those turnovers.

The 09-10 team was a very good defensive team.

Pau was never a great defender, but was solid both at defending his own guy and helping out. He's just horrible now at both. He's slower and looks lost on D. He doesn't know when to rotate. That's not only creating easy baskets for the other team, but also enables the other team 2nd chance points.

Cutting down on turnovers will definitely help out the Lakers, but it isn't enough. The Kings were getting easy baskets even in the half court. Our wing players can't keep them from getting into the paint, and our bigs are too slow to help out. Both need to get better.

Pau was never a great defender, but was solid both at defending his own guy and helping out. He's just horrible now at both. He's slower and looks lost on D. He doesn't know when to rotate. That's not only creating easy baskets for the other team, but also enables the other team 2nd chance points.

Cutting down on turnovers will definitely help out the Lakers, but it isn't enough. The Kings were getting easy baskets even in the half court. Our wing players can't keep them from getting into the paint, and our bigs are too slow to help out. Both need to get better.

Worst part about it is when Pau blows a defensive assignment he stares at Dwight or whomever it is he let down as if he did nothing wrong. That's a problem.

He was up against Cousins, a much stronger and athletic Center, of course he was going to have trouble. I don't think we should ship him out based on this game. Hopefully he does better tonight against his bro.

He was up against Cousins, a much stronger and athletic Center, of course he was going to have trouble. I don't think we should ship him out based on this game. Hopefully he does better tonight against his bro.

09-10 had a bench unit that allowed Phil to rest his guys. It was weaker than years before, and enough fans complained about it, but if those fans could have a peek into the future at the disastrous bench we have right now, they'd have Ear Jordan and the Machine back in a heartbeat.

09-10 also had Lamar to spell the bigs and let Pau play decent minutes at the 5.

He was up against Cousins, a much stronger and athletic Center, of course he was going to have trouble. I don't think we should ship him out based on this game. Hopefully he does better tonight against his bro.

It's not just against Kings though.

Over the last few games I've seen him get taken off the dribble by Scola and Brook Lopez, two un-athletic bigs. He doesn't protect the rim and like someone pointed out, he points fingers like its not his fault.

He's softer than he's been in years. I am a huge Gasol fan and have always said that his defense is average at best, but he comes up big when it counts, this year he has been consistently bad at that end of the floor.

He was up against Cousins, a much stronger and athletic Center, of course he was going to have trouble. I don't think we should ship him out based on this game. Hopefully he does better tonight against his bro.